Making use of presets can massively speed up your workflow in HitFilm. Presets can be created for 3D effects and combinations of 2D effects.

Presets store your chosen settings so that you can quickly recreate them elsewhere in your project or even in completely different projects.

Using presets

The presets are organised into multiple folders in the Effects panel.

3D

All the default 3D effects presets are kept in the 3D Effects folder.

When dragged to the timeline, 3D presets create new 3D effect layers. The layer will be automatically set up according to the settings in the preset.

2D

2D effects presets need to be dragged to a layer or clip. They can store the settings for multiple 2D effects, providing a quick way to re-use specific combinations. This is especially useful for different film looks.

Some 2D effects presets can only be used on composite shot timelines. These are marked automatically by [Layer Only] in the Effects panel.

Preset management

You can arrange presets into folders for easy access.

New folders can be created by clicking the New Folder button at the bottom of the Effects panel.

Presets can be imported and exported by right clicking in the Effects window and using the relevant menu options.

You can drag presets between folders inside the Effects panel to change how they are categorized.

Folders and presets can be deleted by selecting them then clicking the Delete button.

Deleting presets cannot be undone. However, if you accidentally delete the wrong preset you can retrieve it from your computer's Recycle Bin.

Creating presets

You can create your own presets. When creating a preset you will be asked to select a folder in which to store it. See above for information on creating folders.

3D

To create a new 3D preset, simply right click the 3D effect in your layer list on your timeline and choose Create 3D Preset.

You can then choose a name for your new preset and specify which folder to store it in.

The Include layer properties option will also include any Transform, Material or Clip Window keyframes and values, as well as the width, height and dimensions of the layer. This can be useful if you want to recreate the exact effect within the same project.

Presets cannot store texture information for particle effects using a layer as the texture source. To store the settings for complex particle effects we recommend saving the effect as its own project file. This can then be imported and used in future projects.

2D

To create a 2D effects preset you first need to choose which effects to store in the preset.

Effects can be selected on the timeline by holding shift or ctrl and clicking on the effects you want.

Once you have selected your effects, right click them and choose Create preset.